


Friend or Foe?

by arc852, HiddenDreamer67



Category: Video Blogging RPF, Youtubers, jacksepticeye, markiplier - Fandom
Genre: AU, Alternate Universe, Fantasy, Full Moon, GT, Giant/Tiny, PocketSepticEye, Werewolves, giant!markiplier, giantiplier, leprechaun!Jack, pocket!jack, so much fluff and angst, tinies, tinies and giants, tiny!Jack, tiny!jacksepticeye, tiny!sean, werewolf!mark
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-06-29
Updated: 2017-07-13
Packaged: 2018-11-20 18:34:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 7,461
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11341020
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/arc852/pseuds/arc852, https://archiveofourown.org/users/HiddenDreamer67/pseuds/HiddenDreamer67
Summary: Jack regretted ever leaving Ireland. In the unknown woods of California, Jack thinks he's a goner until he's taken alive by the strange werewolf named Mark. Now trapped in Mark's house until the full moon passes, Jack can't help but wonder if Mark is truly a friend or a foe.





	1. Nice to meet you

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jack and mark did not meet under the most ideal circumstances.

 Jack regretted ever leaving Ireland.

 He should have listened to his family when they told him how dangerous it would be; how he would be all alone with every other supernatural creature out there. But, he wanted an adventure. Unlike other leprechauns, Jack wanted to see what else was out there instead of just staying in the same old forest in Ireland.

 Don’t get him wrong, he loved Ireland. There was no way he could hate it; it was coded in his genes. But he wanted- no, needed something more. So, he packed up and stowed away on a plane to America. He found a nice forest and started exploring. It was amazing how different and yet the same it was here than in Ireland.

 He had gotten so distracted by the things around him that he failed to notice the scent of a marked territory. And it wasn’t long after that when he heard a deep growl coming from the shadows.

 And that was how he found himself being chased by a pair of werewolves. How did he know they were werewolves and not normal wolves? Well, supernatural creatures had this sort of tell with each other. A sort of sense that certain creatures had.

 But now was not the time to be thinking about that.

 He ran with all his might. He was glad leprechauns were fast, especially for their size. But the wolves had the stamina and were slowly gaining on him. He looked behind him to try and make out how far away they were when he hit something in front of him. He went down and looked to see he had hit a tree.

 The growls were closer now and Jack stood and turned, seeing that the wolves had closed in on him. His back hit the tree bark and Jack quickly realized that this was the end.

 He stood there waiting with his eyes closed, waiting for his end when he heard a different type of growl. He looked up and saw that one of the wolves was now facing the other one and was growling at him. Jack couldn’t speak wolf, but they seemed to be arguing.

 And then, before Jack could even blink, the wolf jumped and attacked the other wolf. Jack watched in horrified awe as these two giant beasts fought. He would have taken this opportunity to run, but the only way to go would put him right in the middle of the fight and he did not want to get caught up in that.

 Jack saw the brown wolf bite down hard on the other wolf’s shoulder area and the other wolf sent it a quick glare before running off. Jack almost sighed in relief before realizing he still had another wolf to deal with. They had probably been fighting over who was gonna eat him and now the winner would take his prize.

 The wolf turned to him and lowered its face. It opened its huge maw and Jack closed his eyes, waiting for the feeling of teeth digging into his body. Instead, much to his surprise and confusion, he felt the collar of his shirt bunch up and he was suddenly lifted into the air. He opened his eyes and saw that the wolf had grabbed him by the collar and was now carrying him off the who knows where.

 Jack tried his best to not look down. He hated heights and the feeling of nothing under his feet, but he wasn’t about to say anything to the beast that could eat him at any moment. It was a bit later when Jack noticed a house in the distance. They were still technically in the woods, but the house seemed right on the edge.

 The wolf walked up and Jack wondered for a moment how it was gonna get in, before the wolf pushed open a little doggy door. They entered the large house and Jack stared in shock for a moment, never having seen the inside of a human’s house before. It was so…neat. He supposed. Nothing like the naturality of the forest.

 The wolf made a noise behind him, causing Jack to jump. It wasn’t a growl, really, though Jack couldn’t describe what it was. Jack was wondering when he would be put down and when he would be eaten, but the wolf continued to move around the house as if looking for something. The wolf apparently found it in the closet as he made a little happy noise and started pushing the object with his paw.

 Jack tried to get a better look at it, only to realize it was a medium sized cardboard box. He blinked in confusion as the wolf pushed the box over to the desk in the room. The wolf made a slight whine before raising himself up against the desk and setting Jack down on its surface. The wolf then moved back to fiddle with the box.

 Jack stared at the wolf before realizing now was his chance to escape. He started moving toward the edge, thinking maybe he could climb down, when he heard a deep growl. Jack froze and looked to see the wolf glaring at him. Jack gulped and took a seat right there. The wolf huffed and went back to work.

 Jack sighed and watched the wolf walk over to the bed and grab one of the pillows. It placed it inside the box and then bit the edge of the box, lifting it up and placing it on the desk next to Jack. Jack stood and backed a few steps away from the box, but was quickly lifted into the air again by the wolf. He found himself being placed in the box on top of the pillow.

 The leprechaun blinked, and looked up, only to see the wolf holding a lid in its mouth. The lid was placed on the box and Jack was shrouded in darkness. From within his confines, he heard the bed shift and then all was silent.

 Having nothing else to do, Jack laid himself down against the pillow and curled in on himself. Wondering what the wolf had planned for him exactly.

 —————————

 Mark felt the warm morning rays shine down on him as he slowly began to wake up. He stretched out his limbs, still sore from all the activity last night. He looked down at his hands, once again fully in control. As a werewolf, Mark’s memory was always foggy after a full moon. Still, the cardboard box on his desk indicated that last night was more than just a weird dream.

 From what he recalled, he and Thomas had been chasing down a supernatural form of prey that wandered into the pack’s territory. But when Mark saw the look of fear on the creature’s surprisingly tiny human features, Mark knew he couldn’t do it. He turned on Thomas and rescued the little guy, bringing him back home so the other wolves wouldn’t harm it.

 Mark sighed, rubbing a hand over his tired eyes. The pack wouldn’t be happy with him after this. Why couldn’t Mark ever be a true wolf? Why did he always have to get so sympathetic to prey? Mark had always made a terrible hunter.

 Mark gave another glance at the cardboard box, deciding it was best to explain himself to the tiny person who was probably still terrified out of his wits. Mark quietly made his way over to the desk and lifted the lid.

 Light hit Jack’s face and he opened his eyes slowly. He briefly wondered where he was before the memories of the werewolf came back to him. He blinked and looked up, but instead of a wolf he saw the face of a human.

 Of course, what else was he expecting? Werewolves had human forms, why was he so surprised? The now human face of the wolf didn’t help his fears, though. In fact, this just might be worse. With his heart pounding rapidly against his chest, Jack curled back into a ball in fear.

 Mark winced, noticing how scared the guy seemed. “Uh, good morning.” He tried greeting the little guy. “It’s okay, i’m not gonna eat you or anything.” He set the lid down to the side. “Sorry for leaving you in this box last night. Do you want to come out of there?”

 Jack winced at the loud voice, but tried focusing on what he was saying. Right, like he actually believed him. Werewolves were predators and though they didn’t have any in Ireland, he had heard plenty of stories. One of which was they sometimes liked to play with their food. Well, Jack wouldn’t fall for it.

 He shook his head at the question. There was only one way out of this box and Jack did not want to be anywhere near those hands.

 “Okay.” Mark tried not to look disappointed, but he understood. This little guy was probably terrified. Mark slowly pulled up a chair, knowing this could take a while. “Well, as you probably guessed, I’m a werewolf. But what kind of creature are you? I’ve never met someone like you.”

 Jack blinked at the question and at the fact that he hadn’t just been grabbed. He was still not any less suspicious of the guy’s actions, though. He rubbed his shoulders, contemplating on whether or not to tell him. He sighed, figuring it would just be best to cooperate.

 “I’m a leprechaun.” Jack said softly, his Irish accent evident.

 “Whoa, really?” Mark leaned in to hear his quiet voice, happy that the guy would talk to him. “I’ve never met a leprechaun before.”

 Jack scooted back a bit at the closer proximity. “Makes sense. We’re only native to Ireland.”

 “Ireland?” Mark frowned slightly. That did explain the accent. “What are you doing all the way out in California then?”

 Jack shifted. “Um, needed a change of scenery.” He said vaguely and hesitated before saying his next sentence. “I-I didn’t mean to go into your territory.” He said, trying his best not to shake.

 “Well, I kinda figured.” Mark rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly. “Most people don’t willingly try and enter a werewolf pack’s domain.”

 “Yeah…” Jack went silent after that, not knowing what else to say to his captor.

 Mark took a second to clear his throat. “I’m sorry if I startled you with the whole taking you here and putting you in a box thing. I just had to make sure the other members of my pack didn’t come after you.”

 Jack hummed. “Right, cause you want me all to yourself.” He muttered softly. His arms were wrapped around himself. If the wolf was gonna eat him, he just wanted it to happen already.

 “What? No!” Mark’s eyes went as wide as dinner plates. “No no no, that’s not what I meant. I really just wanted to keep you safe. I swear, I’m not here to hurt you. I’m just trying to protect you.”

 Jack glared up at him. “Why?” He asked simply. “For one, you don’t even know me. And two, you’re a predator and whether I like it or not, I’m prey. Doesn’t take a genius to figure out how the two get along.”

 “Well, I’ve never been much of a predator.” Mark admitted, looking down at the floor. “Even in wolf form I have trouble killing other creatures. It’s just not in my nature.”

 Jack blinked. He sounded…genuine. The leprechaun bit the inside of his cheek. “Prove it then.” He looked around the box he was still in. “Get me out of the box. Without touching me.” Jack said, figuring he had nothing to lose if it turned out this was all, in fact, a lie.

 Mark looked at him, raising an eyebrow. “Uh, okay.” he shrugged, not sure what that would prove. “Hold on.” Mark grabbed the edges of the cardboard box. Slowly and carefully, he tipped the box so the side closest to the leprechaun became level with the desk.

 “How’s that?” Mark asked.

 Jack flailed a bit as the box was turned on its side, but was glad to finally have a way out. He slowly came out of the box and stepped onto the desk. He looked over towards the wolf and backed away a few steps. Honestly, he wasn’t sure if this really proved anything, but he was glad to be out of the box. All without having to be touched.

 Jack nodded. “Thanks.”

 “You’re welcome.” Mark smiled at him. At that moment, Mark’s stomach gave a particularly loud growl. Mark winced, remembering that he hadn’t eaten all night and knowing that the sound probably scared his new friend even more. Oh,and things had been going so well…

 Jack was startled when he heard the growl and at first he thought it had come from Mark’s mouth. Only to realize it was the sound of his stomach. Heart beating fast, Jack backed away in fright, staring up at Mark with fear. This was where the game ended, he supposed.

 “I, uh, guess it’s breakfast time.” Mark gave an awkward laugh, backing up a few paces. “I should probably go grab something to eat. Are you hungry?”

 Jack looked at the wolf in confusion. “I-I guess?” He stammered out.

 “Great, I’ll just-” Mark was at the bedroom door by this point. “-I’ll just grab something and be right back.” He turned and quickly made his way to the kitchen, wondering what exactly leprechauns eat.

 Jack could barely believe it when he suddenly found himself alone. He smiled, this was his chance to get the heck out of there. He ran to the edge and looked down. He felt a bit dizzy at the height, but pushed it away. He couldn’t let his fear of heights get to him now of all times. He glanced at the chair the wolf had been sitting in and quickly judged the distance. Before he could talk himself out of it, he jumped.

 He landed on the chair with a roll and stood up. That hadn’t been so bad, now he just needed to climb down to the floor. He somehow managed to grip the chair’s leg and shimmied down so he was now on the floor. Now to find a way out of the house, without having the wolf see him.

 ——————-

 Mark quickly threw some sausages, bacon and ham into a pan to cook. His werewolf instincts gave him a strong craving for meat at all hours of the day, but Mark’s human side still preferred the meat cooked rather than raw. Mark glanced around his kitchen, having a feeling that the leprechaun wasn’t a big fan of meat. He gathered up a small sampling of the limited fruit in the house, making sure to cut it into tiny pieces. Satisfied, Mark put a few pieces of bacon in his mouth, put the rest on a plate and walked back towards the bedroom.

 Jack froze when he felt the ground shake, knowing the wolf was coming back. He looked around for a place to hide and practically dove underneath the desk, pushing himself into the far corner. Hoping against hope the wolf wouldn’t find him. Who knew how he would react to him trying to run away.

 “I’ve returned with food! I wasn’t sure what you liked so I just…” Mark trailed off, noticing the leprechaun was no longer on the desk. Mark panicked for a moment, slowly coming closer before a familiar scent hit his enhanced nostrils. Mark placed the plate down on the desk, then took a few steps back. Carefully, so as not to startle the little guy, Mark laid down on his stomach and peered under the desk.

 “Hey.” Mark smiled at him in what he hoped was a kind gesture, eyes quickly finding the small huddled form in the shadows. Mark didn’t blame the guy for trying to make a run for it, but it did give Mark a good frighten. “Do you want to come out? I brought food.”

 Jack tried to press himself more into the wall when the wolf suddenly lowered himself and found him. How had he done that so fast? Jack mentally smacked his head, of course. He was dealing with a werewolf here. They had a keen sense of smell. Jack silently cursed himself for not thinking of that.

 He could smell the food the wolf brought out, something he’s never smelled before, but it did not at all smell the least bit pleasant. He shook his head no.

 “Are you sure?” Mark pressed. “You must be hungry. I brought some fruits. Some apples and bananas mainly, but there’s some mixed berries as well. Will you at least try?”

 “That doesn’t smell like fruit.” Jack said, pointing up. Was the wolf trying to trick him?

 “Well, uh, that would be my breakfast.” Mark gave an awkward smile. “I kind of figured you wouldn’t like it.”

 “It smells awful.” Jack said, shifting nervously.

 “Yeah, well, a wolf guy’s gotta eat.” Mark shrugged. His stomach growled a little more, and Mark decided this was going nowhere fast. He pushed up from the ground and stood up, walking closer to the desk.

 Jack watched the wolf stand with confusion, but figured now was as good of a time as any to try and book it. He eyed the still open door and glanced once more at the wolf before making a run for it.

 Mark, sensing movement, looked down to see the little guy dashing out from under the desk and towards the bedroom door. Using his quick reflexes, Mark reached the door and shut it before the guy could even get close.

 “Really?” Mark raised an eyebrow.

 Jack stopped short when the wolf closed the door, quicker than what he could keep up with. And now he was trapped in the middle of the floor, the wolf looming over him. He was trembling but tried to cover it up with anger.

 “S-Screw you.”

 “That’s a bit harsh.” Mark commented, making his way back towards the desk but making sure to give the leprechaun plenty of space so as not to startle him further. Mark did feel a little bad about keeping him trapped, but it was for his own safety.

 Jack silently watched the wolf move around him, thinking for sure he would be grabbed that time. He sighed. He was very confused and scared and he just wanted to leave. His stomach growled just then and he placed a hand over it, blushing a little. He was also very hungry.

 Mark grabbed his plate of breakfast and sat down on the ground, facing the little dude. He began to eat his meat, deciding to wait until the little guy calmed down. Mark didn’t want to scare him any more than he already had.

 Jack backed away a bit when the wolf sat down and winced a little as he watched him eat. The wolf was taking bites bigger than he was, and all Jack could think about was that could be him.

 He looked away from his face and down at the plate, seeing the pieces of fruit. So the wolf hadn’t been lying then…

 Jack came a little closer, his hunger fueling his bravery for the moment. “Can…” He paused and cleared his throat. “Can I have some of that?” Jack pointed to the banana, face turning red.

 Mark smiled, pausing in his eating to grab a chunk of banana and hold it out to him. “Go ahead.”

 Jack hesitated before slowly making his way over to the offered fruit. He glanced up at the wolf’s face before grabbing the piece and backing away again. He sat down and began to nibble on it, the sweet flavor filling his taste buds.

 “Thanks.” He said as an afterthought.

 “You’re welcome.” Mark looked pleased that he had dared come so close. He took another bite of sausage.

 Jack finished off the banana, finally feeling full. A feeling he hadn’t felt since coming to America. He glanced up at the wolf, who seemed close to finishing his meal as well. He hadn’t even tried to make a meal out of him. Maybe what the wolf was saying was true.

 “I-I guess I should also thank you for saving me from the other wolf last night.” He said after a long stretch of silence between them.

 “Oh, yeah.” Mark’s smile was bittersweet. “You’re welcome. Thomas is probably pissed at me, but all that matters is you’re safe.”

 Jack frowned. “Why do you care so much?” The question held no bite, he was genuinely curious.

 “Well, I dunno…” Mark scratched lightly at his ear, similar to a dog. “It’s just that, I saw how scared you were and I realized that I felt bad. It wasn’t really your fault for coming into our area, but other wolves don’t see it that way. So I wanted to protect you from them. I never like seeing others suffer.”

 Jack smiled. “I’m the only leprechaun who’s ever left Ireland. The only one who wanted to go out and explore the world, screw the dangers. I guess we’re both a little different.”

 Mark gave a small laugh. “You know, I never really asked you your name.” Mark realized. “Hi, I’m Mark.” He slowly put his hand out for a shake.

 Jack tenses as the hand came closer, but when he realized he wasn’t gonna grab him, he relaxed. He smiled and reached out, grabbing hold of Mark’s finger.

 “Nice to meet you Mark, I’m Jack.”


	2. Grocery Shopping

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jack can't leave until the full moon is over in a couple days, so he's stuck with Mark as the werewolf goes grocery shopping.

Jack let go of Mark’s finger, dropping his hand back to his side. He took a few casual steps back. “Well, thanks for breakfast and, ya know, not eating me. But, I really should be going.” He glanced at the door, which was still closed.

“Mind, ah, opening the door for me?”

“I can’t let you do that.” Mark shook his head.

Jack froze up at Mark’s words. What the heck was that supposed to mean? Did…did Mark want to keep him?

“W-why?” He mentally cursed his obvious stutter.

“Well, the thing is, a full moon actually lasts three nights.” Mark explained, finishing his own breakfast. “Last night was just the first night. If I let you go now, my pack would just find you tonight and you’d be a goner. It’s safer to keep you here until the moon passes.”

Jack shivered at the thought of being caught between more wolves. He definitely never wanted that to happen again. He looked back up at Mark.

“Okay, but you’ll let me go afterwards, right?”

“Oh, of course!” Mark nodded immediately. “I don’t want to hold you hostage here, it’s really just a matter of your safety.”

Jack nodded. He supposed he did feel a bit safer in here than out there. Both places might’ve had wolves, but at least this one wasn’t gonna eat him.

“Okay then, so now what?” Jack asked.

“Hmm.” Mark put a finger to his lips, pondering what he had to get done today. Of course his original plans were thrown out the window with the addition of Jack. “Well, I suppose I should go grocery shopping. I’m running low on food and I certainly don’t have enough fruit to keep you healthy. In fact, how about you just come with me and tell me what you like to eat?”

“Um…” Just the thought of that sent Jack on edge. “Yeah, being around all those humans? I don’t think so.” Jack had a thing about humans. They weren’t as terrifying to him as werewolves or other supernatural creatures, but they were still terrifying all the same. Not to mention the fact about all the stories there were about humans tracking down leprechauns for their gold. Or a wish. Which wasn’t exactly true.

“Okay, but I really don’t see another way to do this.” Mark pointed out. He knew nothing about what leprechauns eat. Besides, he wasn’t comfortable leaving Jack alone in his home. What if Jack tried to run off despite Mark’s warning? “It’ll be quick, I promise. And I’ll stay away from other people.”

Jack sighed, not at all happy or comfortable with this. “…Fine.” Did he really have a choice though?

“But, how are we going to do this?” Jack eyed Mark’s hands and took a unconscious step back.

“Well, uh…” Mark looked around, trying to come up with a solution that Jack would like. He took one look at his red plaid shirt and suddenly got an idea. “You could hide in my pocket.”

“No,” Jack said without thinking, but then stopped to do so. It was really the only place that made sense. The shoulder would be too out in the open, and something like a bag would be a rough ride. Jack sighed. How did he find himself in this mess again?

“I guess that could work.” Jack said reluctantly.

“Great!” Mark went over and put the red shirt over his white t-shirt, coming back to kneel in front of jack. “Can I, uh, give you a lift then, I guess?” Mark slowly put his hand down in front of Jack, palm up.

Jack stepped back when Mark’s hand came down, looking at it like is was going to attack him. He glanced at up at Mark and then back down at the hand before standing straight and walking over to it. He hesitated a long moment before climbing on, using Mark’s thumb to steady himself.

It was incredibly weird and Jack wasn’t quite sure what he thought of it. He could feel a slight beat coming from the hand and the uneven surface was strange. He stayed standing in the center of the palm, looking up at Mark, hoping again he was right in trusting this guy.

Mark slowly raised his hand, watching Jack’s tiny form with awe. He could feel Jack’s miniscule movements tickling the palm of his hand. It was bizarrely fascinating, especially because Mark had always been secretly obsessed with tiny things.

Not wanting to be a creep, Mark quickly but gently set Jack down into the chest pocket of his shirt.

“How’s that?” Mark asked, holding the lip of the pocket open so he could peer in. 

Jack shifted around in the pocket. It almost felt like a hammock if he laid a certain way. A loud beating from beside him caught him slightly off guard, but he soon recognized it as Mark’s heartbeat. All in all, it wasn’t as bad as Jack thought it was gonna be. He looked up at Mark.

“It’s weird, but…nice? I guess?” Jack said, shifting a bit more.

Mark smiled, glad that Jack seemed okay. He let the pocket close and stood up slowly. Walking carefully to avoid jostling his little passenger, Mark gathered up his wallet and began to walk into town. He shied away from the other pedestrians, which was always a habit of his during the full moon. He wasn’t usually sociable during this time of the month.

Reaching the grocery store, Mark grabbed a basket and headed straight back to the meat section. He gathered up what looked tastiest and threw it in. Mark started to walk towards the checkout before remembering the whole reason Jack came along. Mark made his way over to the produce aisle and checked around for other people before holding the pocket open once more.

“Alright, what would you like?” Mark said quietly, hoping the family on the other side of the aisle didn’t hear him.

Jack hesitated before peeking out of the pocket. His eyes widened at the large assortment of fruit. Some he recognized and others not so much. Jack was so used to finding and eating berries and nuts he found in the wild, it was crazy to think that humans (and humanoid creatures) had all this at their disposal. It was kind of overwhelming.

Jack scanned the foods, trying to find some familiar items and maybe some he could try. “Um…how about those blueberries.” He pointed to the right. “And, oh! Strawberries.” He pointed to the middle. “And…that?” He wasn’t quite sure what that was, but it looked interesting. They seemed to be cut in slices, the inside red and the outside green with stripes.

“Watermelon?” Mark shrugged and began putting the fruits Jack requested into the basket. “Alright, anything else? Do leprechauns eat anything except fruit?”

“Well, we also eat nuts.” Jack said, remembering all the times he had acorn.

“Oh, okay.” Mark wandered around the store for a little bit. “Hmm, nuts, nuts…” Mark muttered to himself, wondering where the nuts were kept. The same family from the produce aisle watched him, probably thinking he was nuts.

“Aha!” Mark gave a triumphant cheer when he found the right aisle. He opened the pocket once more. “Alright, take your pick.”

Jack looked out of the pocket and looked at all the cans. His eyes narrowed, none of these looked the least bit familiar. He pointed to a random can, one that said ‘cashews’ on it.

“Um, that one?”

“Cool.” Mark grabbed the can and added it to his stash. Satisfied with the choices, Mark made his way over to the checkout where a nice cashier began to ring him up.

“Planning a barbeque, are we?” The girl teased, looking at the large selection of meat as she put it in bags.

“Uh, yeah.” Mark lied, used to getting comments like this when he went shopping. He quickly paid for the food and left. Walking down the street towards home, Mark’s strong nostrils were suddenly flooded with a delicious scent. Mark gave a slight puppy whimper as his stomach growled. Being a werewolf, he often ate up to six meals a day, so it was no wonder he was hungry again.

Mark didn’t want to keep Jack out too long, but suddenly he didn’t think he could wait the whole walk home to eat. Mark stepped into the diner, hearing a ding as the bell went off signalling his entrance. Sitting down at a booth near the back, Mark opened the pocket.

“Hey, I hope you don’t mind, but I’m just grabbing a quick bite to eat before we head back.” Mark whispered. “Do you want anything?” Before he could hear Jack’s reply though, a cute perky waitress came over to Mark with a menu in hand. Mark quickly looked up, letting the pocket close.

“Welcome to Denny’s!” She greeted, setting the menu down in front of him. “Can I start you off with anything to drink?”

“I’ll just take a water.” Mark said, hoping she hadn’t seen anything strange. Well, besides the bags of groceries sitting right next to him.

“Coming right up!” She left, and Mark gave one last look in her direction before propping the menu up for some privacy. He pretended to skim it while he opened the pocket.

“Are you hungry?” Mark asked quietly

Jack had flinched had the voice of the waitress, very loud and very close. He hated this, he really did. Mark said it would be quick, this wasn’t quick at all. He sent a glare up at the wolf, trying to keep himself from shaking at the loud sounds of the diner.

“We just ate.” He said, annoyed.

“I know, but i’m hungry again.” Mark explained. “Werewolves eat a lot during the full moon. Do you want something or not?”

Jack folded his arms, curling in a little bit before mutter a small ‘fine.’

“Just get me fruit, I don’t care what.” Jack sighed.

“Don’t be grouchy with me.” Mark rolled his eyes. Seeing the waitress coming back with his water, Mark closed the pocket.

“Here you go.” The waitress set his glass down. “And are you ready to order?”

“Yes, I’d like a double cheeseburger with a side of seasonal fruit, please.” Mark handed her the menu.

“Coming right up!” She left to take his order back to the kitchen. Mark sighed, drumming his fingers idly on the table while he waited. He wanted to talk to Jack, but thought it would look strange talking to his pocket more in public and he certainly wasn’t going to put Jack in danger by taking him out into the open.

Jack glared at nothing, not at all happy with Mark right now. But along with his anger he was also slightly panicking. He took deep breaths, trying to focus on Mark’s heartbeat rather than the human’s in the diner around him. It was soothing in a way and helped quite a bit, but Jack still wanted to get out of there as soon as possible. Mark was gonna get a talking to after they got back.

In fact, Jack elbowed the wall next to him for good measure.

“What the…?” Mark felt a tiny hit to his chest. He was about to peek in to see if Jack was okay, but then he saw the waitress coming back with his food. She really did seem to have the worst timing.

“Here you go, sir.” She said, setting it down. “Will that be all?”

“Yes, thank you.” Mark’s reply was a bit distant as his attention was elsewhere. As soon as she was gone, Mark peered into the pocket. Relieved to see that Jack was okay (although clearly pissed), Mark smiled and handed the little guy an apple slice.

Jack glared but took the apple slice and nibbled on it. It was really good and Jack ended up eating the whole thing, ignoring the smell of meat a few feet away.

Something he couldn’t really ignore, though, was the sounds of Mark eating. He was right up on his chest and could therefore hear every bite and swallow. He shivered and set the skin of the apple to the side. Though he was pretty sure by now that Mark wasn’t gonna eat him, he couldn’t stop his mind from going through all the what ifs.

“Mmm.” Mark made a satisfied sound as he finished off his burger. A few moments later, the waitress made a reappearance.

“Would you like any dessert?” She smiled.

“No thanks.” Mark answered. “But i’d take a box for the fruit, if you don’t mind.”

“Coming right up!” She was back in moments with a box and the check. “Take as much time as you need.”

“Thank you.” Mark boxed up the fruit and left some cash on the table, gathering up his groceries and leaving. He made sure to quicken his pace home, knowing Jack was probably angry with him. Still, that burger had really hit the spot.

After the long walk home, Mark finally returned from his grocery shopping adventure. He put the bags in the fridge, washed his hands to make sure they were clean, and then reached in to grab Jack.

Jack’s thoughts were interrupted by light shining down on him, he looked up, only to see a hand coming for him a second later. Panicking, Jack started flailing, trying to push away and dodge the hand.

“Woah, hey!” Mark’s voice was calming as he tried to gently grab hold of Jack’s flailing form. “It’s just me, calm down.”

Jack blinked at Mark’s voice, realizing what he was doing. He didn’t want to be grabbed, but that was the only way out. He forced himself to still and steeled himself as he allowed Mark to finally grab him.

Mark slowly pulled Jack out of the pocket, holding his other hand under him for safety. Mark set him down on the kitchen counter.

“There, that wasn’t so bad.” Mark said.

Jack gained his balance on the table and then turned towards Mark. He crossed his arms and glared up at the wolf.

“You said we were going grocery shopping and then coming back.”

“Well, we did!” Mark argued. “I just had to take a quick snack break.”

“A snack break that lasted an extra thirty minutes!” Jack yelled. He ran a hand through his hair, trying to calm down.

“That’s it, never going out with you again.” Jack said, turning around and throwing his hands in the air a bit too dramatically.

“Oh come on, don’t be like that.” Mark crouched down and put his chin on the counter to be level with him.

Jack glanced at Mark and walked back over so he was now face to face (well, whole body) with him. He stood there for a moment before bopping him on the nose.

Mark blinked, surprised as he went cross-eyed trying to look at Jack. “That’s fair, I suppose. I did deserve that.”

“Oh yeah, definitely.” Jack couldn’t help but smile a bit. But his smile dropped when he thought back to the diner. He stepped back a bit and rubbed his neck.

“And, uh, next time we eat? I’d rather not be in your pocket.” He said vaguely. That had probably been the worst thing out of the whole trip.

“Uh sure, but why?” Mark asked, frowning. He didn’t understand why Jack would rather be out in public than in the pocket.

Jack face palmed when Mark didn’t catch on. It was awkward having to explain it. “Just, ya know, everything is really loud. Especially a certain somebody.” He gave a pointed look to Mark.

“…oh.” Mark blushed, getting his meaning. He gave a slight awkward cough. “Uh yeah, sounds good. So, am I forgiven then?”

Jack sighed. “I suppose.” The leprechaun rolled his eyes and turned his gaze to the kitchen. He had only caught a glimpse of it the night before, when Mark had carried him in.

Speaking of…

“You said the full moon lasts three days? Does that mean you’re going to be a wolf again tonight?” Jack asked, already guessing the answer and not really liking it.

“Well, yeah.” Mark nodded. “I usually meet up with my pack in the woods just before the moon rises. But… it’s probably best you stay here tonight.”

“Yeah, that sounds good.” Jack agreed quickly, not wanting to think about what would’ve happened if Mark hadn’t been there last night. He started wandering around the counter, just taking in the sights around him.

“What do we do until then?” Jack asked.

“Well,” Mark thought for a moment before realizing he was hungry again. “How about we start with lunch?”

Jack gave Mark a look. “We…we just ate.” There was no way Mark was already hungry, Jack sure wasn’t.

“I know, but I’m hungry again.” Mark gave him a shrug. “It’s just what happens during wolf days.”

“Well I’m not, but go ahead and eat ya glutton.” Jack said jokingly. “But, while you’re doing that could I maybe explore a little?” He didn’t like staying in one place too long.

“Well, I guess you could, but explore where?” Mark asked, beginning to pull out food from the fridge.

“I don’t know, just around?” He motioned toward the whole house and then shrugged. Anywhere was fine with him as long as he could walk and move on his own.

“Okay.” Mark nodded, turning on the oven. “Just, please be careful.” He was nervous to let Jack wander about unsupervised, but hopefully his wolf senses would help him keep tabs on Jack from a distance. Not to mention, Jack deserved a little freedom since he was basically being held against his will.

Jack smiled and nodded before going over to the edge of the counter. He blinked away the dizziness he felt at the height, but was determined to climb down himself. He gripped the edge and suddenly found himself hanging as he felt around for a hold for his foot.

“Woah!” Mark rushed over to hover, putting his hands under Jack for safety. “Are you okay? Do you want some help?”

Jack kicked at Mark’s hand. “I’m fine! Heights may not be my thing, but I know how to climb!”

“You’re making me nervous, Jack.” But Mark pulled his hands away to give him more room.

Jack rolled his eyes and finally got a hold, after that, it was a piece of cake. He scaled down the counter quickly, not looking down the entire time. When his feet hit the floor he let go and looked up to smile up at Mark. His smile fell slightly at the sight of Mark from the ground, but he tried not to focus too much on that.

“Ta da!” He yelled and did a little bow.

“Impressive.” Mark gave a few claps. “I underestimated you. Just try not to stay underfoot, okay?”

“Got it!” Jack yelled up and then started walking. He headed towards the living room, tile ending and replaced with carpet. It reminded Jack a bit of grass, but still completely different. He looked at the looming furniture, coming across the couch. His eyes widened and he froze.

Large claw marks littered the bottom part of the couch. They were deep and plentiful, as if whatever had made them was desperate. But for what? Jack took a step closer. The position of the marks were as if the creature was trying to get to something underneath.

Jack gulped.

Mark finished cooking the chicken, digging in eagerly. The plate was clean in moments. After washing up the dishes, Mark slowly made his way into the living room to look for Jack. Sniffing the air, Mark looked down and found Jack looking at something under the couch. Quietly, Mark got down on his hands and knees.

“What’cha looking at?”

“AHH!” Jack yelled and found himself running under the couch. He looked back, seeing that Mark had somehow managed to sneak up on him. He gave Mark a flat look and started to come out before remembering the marks that littered the couch. He stayed put.

“Woah, easy!” Mark gave a loud laugh. “I didn’t think I’d scare you that bad. It’s just me.”

Jack didn’t move and he looked at Mark warily.

“Jack?” Mark crouched down even lower to peer under the couch. “Jack, c’mon, it’s alright. You can come back out.”

Jack shook his head, he wasn’t gonna come out yet, but he should at least give Mark a chance to explain himself first.

“What’re those about?” He did his best to motion to the front of the couch.

Mark looked at the scratch marks on the side of the couch, and suddenly painful memories began to rush back to him. Mark cringed.

“It’s nothing.” Mark answered, but as he began to reach under the couch to grab Jack, his hand seemed to line up perfectly with the claw marks in the upholstery. 

Jack put as much distance as he could away from the approaching hand. His back hit the wall and he looked in time to see Mark’s hand matched the marks. What did that mean?! Why wasn’t Mark telling him anything? Was he… had he been lying this whole time?

Jack felt like pulling out his hair at how confused he was. Just the day before, he knew where he stood and he knew where werewolves stood. But then Mark came and turned that on his head. And for a little bit, he thought he knew where Mark stood. But he wasn’t so sure now.

“You call that nothing?” Jack said through gritted teeth, trying to hide his fear. He motioned toward Mark’s hand and the claw marks.

“Jack…” Mark sighed, his hand stopping midair. “Look, if you really want to know, it’s from one of the times the pack locked me up inside. They don’t really like me, so sometimes they lock me in to keep me from going them for a nightly hunt. Except the wolf side of me gets cabin fever, so one night I started clawing at the couch in a hissy fit.” It wasn’t a total lie, but it also wasn’t the whole story. Mark just didn’t want Jack to distrust him any more than he already did.

Jack looked at him skeptically. He didn’t fully believe Mark, even if some of the story did indeed sound truthful. Jack didn’t know what to do. If he kept asking about it, would Mark get mad? He had never seen the giant wolf mad before, but that was not something he ever wanted to see. And especially directed at him.

Jack looked Mark in the eyes, seeing nothing malicious in them. Jack sighed. Jack hated that he was dropping it, but it was for both of their sakes. Maybe he would find out later. If Mark was still the wolf he claimed he was, that is.

“That isn’t the full story.” It wasn’t a question, cause Jack knew it was true. “But, I won’t push for the rest.” Yet.


End file.
